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Legalism is an idolatrous religion. Legalistic judgmental religion is
based on absolute commitment to biblical literalism, which is the
conviction that every word of the Bible is literally true and every
statement in the Bible has equal authority as the word of God. This
approach to religion generates most of the religious opposition to civil
and human rights for homosexuals. Biblical literalism is the basis for
the rejection of homosexuals as an abomination to God and therefore
unacceptable to God and to God's churches and people. It is the basis
for rejecting same-sex marriage and the ordination of homosexual
clergy. It is the reason for denying Gay and Lesbian couples the right
to adopt children. It is the primary obstacle to opening the mind of
America to the facts about sexual orientation and the truth about what
the Bible does and does not say about homosexuality.
Legalism is a distortion and denial of the gospel of Jesus Christ as
given in the Four Gospels and expounded in the rest of the New
Testament.
Legalism is a mental disorder that masquerades as religion. Suspicion
and fear are the chief characteristics of paranoid delusions and
legalism. The severely suspicious person creates a rigid legalistic
system that organizes and dominates all of life. Any question or attack
on any part of the system is viewed as a threat to the person. This
personal legalistic system is defended at all cost.
When I was a chaplain intern at Central State Hospital, Kentucky, during
my doctoral program, I met a patient who was severely paranoid
schizophrenic. We spoke to each other in a friendly way every day.
Then one day he was sitting at a table and invited me to talk with him.
I listened as he told me how he was a prisoner at the hospital so that
they could perform experiments on him against his will. He went into
detail to spell out his fears and to tell me how he was being watched
and manipulated by the hospital staff. I listened for about 30 minutes.
Afterwards, he would not speak to me again and avoided me. I "knew too
much" and though I had not questioned his paranoid views, I was now the
enemy and could not be trusted. I have experienced some of the same
kind of behavior in far too many church leaders not to take seriously
the pathology of suspicion and fear in legalistic religion.
Paranoid delusions are based on fear and an exaggerated view of one's
importance. When a person sees a group of people talking and thinks
that "they are talking about me," the subtle implication is: "Where two
or three are gathered together, there am I in the midst of them." One
way to handle severe anxiety and fear is to develop the delusion that
you are God and people are trying to take away your power. This kind of
pathological thinking is not at all rare in churches and religious
leaders.
Homosexual orientation is not a mental disorder. Legalism is.
Legalism based in biblical literalism is the foundation of many programs
of economic support for religious institutions and churches. Fund
raising demands and tithing techniques are often built upon distortions
and inappropriate applications of biblical teachings about giving to the
poor while clear teachings about accepting and loving outcast and
unattractive people are ignored completely. The legalistic system that
brings in the money is untouchable. Any threat to any part of the
system is perceived as an attack on God.
Institutional Arrogance is one deadly product of legalism. The tightly
wound coils of legalistic demands command absolute obedience and service
to the institution that represents the legalistic system. Churches,
colleges, schools, political movements, television and radio ministries,
and various campaigns and programs demand and get sacrificial support
from people who are convinced that these institutions are the "work of
God" and have the right to require every resource that members and
supporters might possess.
Until we as homosexuals can successfully challenge and change the
dominant legalistic systems based on biblical literalism in this
country, Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transgender people and many other
religious outcasts will never be free from abusive oppressive religion.
When religious leaders are committed to legalism, they see truth as
threat and love as limited and conditional.
Our only hope is the conversion of religious leaders from legalism to
Jesus plus nothing. We have to begin by being willing ourselves to
follow Jesus plus nothing else. It takes a lot of spiritual confidence
and courage to let go of all other "weapons" and trust only Jesus in a
mortal conflict that determines our survival. Where will we find that
confidence and courage? That is up to you.
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Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse
What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality Daniel A. Helminink
Jack Nichols Other Articles by Rembert Truluck: Jesus as the Key to Spiritual Self Defense
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